Alyssa Lies
by No-Name-Kate
Summary: Richard had a friend, her name was Alyssa, but Alyssa had a problem she had to lie. She lied to the classroom, to the teachers, and to Dick. Song fic to 'Alyssa Lies' by Jason Michael Carroll.


**I heard this song for the first time today and the second the chorus came I was crying. It held so much meaning and was not what I was expecting so much so that I was moved.**

_My little girl met a new friend just the other day_

_On the playground at school_

_Between the tires and the swings_

_But she came home with tear-filled eyes_

_And she said to me, "Daddy, Alyssa lies"_

Richard was 10 when he met her. It was at school on the front stairs they first spoke. Bruce and Alfred were late picking him up so he sat upon the stone steps to wait. They'd be there soon, he trusted them enough. It was awfully boring out front though and if he glanced sideways he could see the kids in the sports clubs on the playground. Dick took a quick glance up and down the street and once he was satisfied that no black stretch limos were around the corner he hopped the black painted chain link fence and ran to the swings.

The only one open was next to a girl a lot younger than him. He never planed on talking to her but the purple pach of skin on her leg caught his interest. Her bright pink overals would cover it, if she would've been standing.

"Hi," Dick smiled. "my name is Richard. What's yours?"

The girl smiles back, her green eyes shining a bit. "My name is Alyssa."

"Nice to meet you Alyssa." Dick used his weight to push the swing into motion.

"How old are you?" Alyssa looks curious.

"I'm 10, what about you?"

"I'm 7." She matches Dick's pace on the swing, her long brown hair flowing behind her.

"How'd you get that bruise?" Dick points to her leg.

Instantly Alyssa's disposition changes, she becomes cold and distant. "I can't tell you. I have to lie." She looks down at the faded woodchips, kicking them up. Dick tries to persuade his new friend to tell him. He doesn't like secrets he's never liked keeping them or making his own. He was always told the truth holds power. Eventually he does hear the truth-"My mommy tells me to lie, do does Daddy."- and it sounds like the stuff the teachers are always saying you need to share with an adult. So when he saw the limo pull up he waved good-bye to Alyssa and ran to tell Bruce, if anyone knew what to do it'd be Bruce.

"How was school Dick?" Bruce asks as Dick squirms on the slick lether seats.

"I made a new friend." He pulls his feet up on the seat.

"Whats his name?"

"HER name is Alyssa."

"Oh, her I'm sorry, whats she like?"

"Alyssa lies." Dick heard the crack in his voice, he was ready to cry.

"Well that's not good." Bruce obviously did not notice.

"She-." Dick wanted to add more but they'd reached the mannor and Bruce had business- both Wayne Tech. and Bat business- so he'd be extreamly busy all night.

_Well I just brushed it off at first_

_'Cause I didn't know how much my little girl had been hurt_

_Or the things she had seen_

_I wasn't ready when I said you can tell me_

_And she said_

_"Alyssa lies to the classroom_

_Alyssa lies everyday at school_

_Alyssa lies to the teachers_

_As she tries to cover every bruise"_

Sure Bruce wanted to hear more of Alyssa and possibly learn what she lied about that got Dick in such a tizzy but he just had too much work to be curious. He loosend his tie and got to work typing up reports for Wayne Tech. Half an hour later though Dick was at his door, eyes red rimmed and an outburst on the tip of his toung.

Bruce took off his glasses and motioned for Dick to come in. He pulled the boy up on his lap and it was suddenly like a dam broke.

"You can tell me whats wrong Dick."

"Bruce Alyssa lies to her class, to the kids and the teachers and she tries to hide it but I saw. I saw the bruises." Dick cries himself to sleep in Bruce's lap, soaking in comfort from the older man's presence.

_My little girl laid her head down that night to go to sleep_

_As I stepped out the room I heard her say_

_A prayer so soft and sweet_

_"God bless my mom and my dad_

_And my new friend Alyssa"_

_Oh I know she needs you bad because_

_Alyssa lies to the classroom_

_Alyssa lies everyday at school_

_Alyssa lies to the teachers_

_As she tries to cover every bruise_

At midnight Bruce carries Dick up the large staircase and places him gently in the king size bed. Bruce tucks the covers around him softly and kisses the boy's forehead. As he's leaving he hears Dick's prayer;

"God bless Bruce and Alfred and my new friend Alyssa. She needs you now Lord more than ever because she lies. Help her please. Amen."

_I had the worst night of sleep in years_

_As I tried to think of a way to calm her fears_

_I knew exactly what I had to do_

_But when we got to school on Monday I heard the news_

_My little girl asked me why everybody looked so sad_

_The lump in my throat grew bigger_

_With every question that she asked_

_Until I felt the tears run down my face_

_And I told her that Alyssa wouldn't be at school today_

The door closes softly and Bruce suddnely doesn't feel like work, but just because he isn't up to it doesn't mean the scum of Gotham is going to take a night off. Bruce eventually slinks back into his own bedroom a little after 3AM. Dick's words were bouncing around in his head preventing him from receiving a full nights sleep that combined with thoughts of business made this his worst night of sleep yet.

In the morning Bruce knew what had to be done,

"Dick, did Alyssa ever say she was struck?"

"Well, no…but I saw the evidence!"

"Dick, remember we can't convict anyone if the victim doesn't want to press charges."

"Then I'll work to convince her!" Dick said confidently. He finished his breakfast and slung his backpack over his shoulder. Alfred was ready in the car out front to drive the young ward to school.

"I might be late coming out." Dick says running up to the brick building. He waves as Alfred pulls away, his mind already working on a plan. He looks through the second grade classrooms and finds Alyssa in Mrs. Campbell's room at her desk coloring a worksheet.

"Hey Alyssa."

"Dick!" She smiles and lets Dick sit next to her.

He tries to convince Alyssa to speak up against her beatings, but the girl refuses to admit to abuse. She tries to stear the conversation in another direction, talking about Dick's family and things he likes to do. She didn't want to be put on the spot like this. For the day Dick gives up, seeing how his questions affected her. The next few years Dick kept and eye on her though. He felt an odd sister-like quality from her. He wanted to be that protective brother she never had. It wasn't until Alyssa was 8 that they started hanging out more. Alyssa would visit Wayne manor and Dick would take her for ice cream or maybe a movie, the things a good older brother would do.

Then the phone call came.

For Alyssa's eighth birthday Bruce and Dick bought her a cellphone. That night, while eating the cake Alfred made, Dick put in his number along with the one for the manor. He made sure she kept it on her at all times and told her that if she needed anything, even if it was just to say hi, that she could call him or Bruce- because even Bruce had grown attatched to the girl.

One warm summer day Dick was lounging around with the team at Mount Justice. The windows- what little there were- were open letting in a constant stream of warm air. The tv was on and an old cartoon was playing. It was a repeat but everyone was okay with that- at least it wasn't static. Robin was lying next to Wally on the couch, his head on the arm of the plush piece of furniture. Wally's feet were kicked up on the table and superboy was pouting beside him, Megan speaking to him softly.

Everyone turns as Robin's cell rings, a feat not usually heard. He shimmied the phone out of his pocket and check the caller id.

"Who is it?" Wally asked peaking over Robin's shoulder.

Alyssa appeared on the screen causing Wally to cat-call like the teenaged boy he is.

"Ooh, it's a girl!" this got the attention of the whole room.

"Robbie's got a girlfriend! Robbie's got a girlfriend!" Wally's smile didn't reach his eyes, but he wasn't given a chance.

Robin took the pillow beside him and smacked Wally with it. The redhead fell backwards on the couch and Robin placed the pillow on Wally's chest, then sat on top.

"Dude!"

"Serves you right." Dick finally presses the green button a smile prominent.

"Hello?"

"Hello, Mr. Grayson?" this was not Alyssa.

"Y-yes, who is this?"

"This is Dr. Courtney Roe from Gotham Memorial." Dick's heart drops and suddnely he can't breathe. He stands up, needing the motion within his legs for fear he'd go completely numb.

"I regret to inform you that Miss. Alyssa Jackson has passed."

He can't stand straight, nothing makes sence anymore. Alyssa is dead? That couldn't be possible, he'd just seen her yesterday.

"Have, have you contacted her parents?"

"…Sir, her parents were the ones who did this. They are curently in police custody."

"…" Dick is speechless. No wonder she lied, no kid wanted to turn his or her parents in. If she grew up with this it was normal to her, she didn't know any other way of life.

"We have contacted Mr. Wayne as well. He is on his way if you'd like to pay your respects before we send her to the undertaker."

"Y-yes. Th-thank you." His back was to the team now, the joking atmosphere gone.

Wally was the first to move towards the youngest member. His outstretched hand lightly tapped Robin's shoulder. Wally could feel the trembling boy hit his limit. Robin turned, tears falling from benith the dark shades and burries his face in Wally's chest- it would've been his shoulder had Robin been taller. Wally feels his heart brake the second he feels the tears. He doesn't care anymore what anyone might think, he wraps his arms around Robin's waist and stads there with him. He'd be there for as long as it took.

A little girl died at the hands of her parents. The people that were supposed to protect her, the ones who she should have trusted above all others.

'_Cause she doesn't lie in the classroom_

_She doesn't lie anymore at school_

_Alyssa lies with Jesus_

_Because there's nothing anyone would do_

_Tears filled my eyes_

_When my little girl asked me why_

_Alyssa lies_

_Oh daddy, oh daddy tell me why_

_Alyssa lies_

The funeral was beautiful. Roses, daisies, lillies, and iris covered the pews and the shining white casket. The pianest played a soft, sad tune as the priest offered a prayer for the girl. Only a handful of people showed: Alyssa's teachers, a couple classmates, and her cold aunt. She was burried in the Wayne cemitary, only a few miles from the estate. Every day from then on Dick visited everyday and he proudly testified at Alyssa's parents' trial.

They were sentenced 40 years.

**A/N**

**I hope someone out there is like me and listened to the song as they read. Theres something about a background soundtrack that gives the story more meaning. This isn't my best work but honestly my feeling's are so jumbled that this was the best I could do.**

**Thank you.**

**-No_Name_Kate**


End file.
